Two teenagers caught behaving irresponsibly behind the wheel have been sent on a pilot project to tackle poor driving.

Craig Roxby, 17, and Darren Underhill, 18, who live a few doors apart in Shooting Field, Steyning, were the first candidates on the scheme.

The programme, aimed at youngsters below the age of 25 who have a history of irresponsible driving, will be extended if it is a success and funding can be found.

The teenagers attended Horsham Police Station, where they were shown West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service's Safe Drive Stay Safe video, aimed at reducing the number of serious road crashes across Sussex.

This was followed by a drive with a professional instructor around Horsham. Among the skills emphasised were vehicle checks and manoeuvering. They were then given a skid pan session at Goodwood Racetrack in Chichester to learn vehicle control.

In the last element of the course, Georgina Dey, 61, who lost both her sons Tim and Barry in two separate crashes, spoke to the teenagers about the impact of their deaths.

Both Craig and Darren were sent letters asking them to attend the course after they were spotted misbehaving while driving around Steyning three weeks ago.

Craig had been performing handbrake turns to make his Corsa skid in car parks.

Darren had been using his horn excessively and performing wheel spins in his Rover.

Both said they had learnt a great deal from the course.

Craig said: "I know dangerous driving can kill someone. Hearing it from someone has had a real impact."

Darren said: "I've learnt how driving can affect other people. I'm not going to say I won't speed but I will be a lot more careful when I'm driving.

"When Georgina described to us how her sons got killed in car accidents through other people's actions, it brought it home to me. It makes you realise that if one of us hit and killed someone, what the family would go through."

Mrs Dey, from Selsey, told the teenagers that once they got behind the wheel of a car, it became a lethal weapon.

She said: "I lost two sons within a year of each other. This scheme is a good thing because it makes teenagers more aware and hopefully it can be a preventative measure. A lot of people forget that speed kills, not roads."

Advanced driving instructor Dave Harris took the teenagers for a drive.

He said: "This course has been very valuable. It's a good way of bringing safety to the attention of the young driver, who is perhaps not as aware as he ought to be."

Eight more teenagers will undertake the course in the next few weeks.

It has been funded through Sussex Police joint initiative fund.

If the scheme proves a success, the Horsham District Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership will attempt to secure more money from emergency services groups in the future.